I was seriously sick and tired of paying ridiculous amounts of money for what are supposed to be "high quality" products.  With a little patience and a TON of (ongoing) research I am starting to discover much less expensive ways to get the job done... and with higher quality products to boot!

As I have mentioned before, I was paying $50 for my Vivite moisturizer that I wasn't in love with.  Absurd, right?  I have recently learned the wonders of 100% Pure Hyaluronic Acid Serum.  Hyaluronic Acid (HA) is a compound found naturally in the dermis of the skin.  Starting in our early 20's, our body begins to produce less and less.  Topically applied HA serum is easily absorbed into the deep layers of the skin.  HA is capable of holding up to 3000 times its weight in water.  It absorbs water from the atmosphere and uses it to help moisturize your skin.  Since it is able to hold so much water, you will notice your fine lines and wrinkles plumping up and filling in.  Don't believe me?  Restylane, the injectable filler, is hyaluronic acid.  It also helps to break down the oil that is produced by your skin and acts as a natural antibiotic.  This will help to prevent future breakouts.  HA is starting to be known as the new "acne miracle".  You could literally pay hundreds of dollars for name brand, designer compounds with HA in them, or you could hop on over to Amazon and buy 2 oz for all of $15.  A little goes a very long way, so 2 oz will last many months.  

You can use HA alone, or at night, you can apply some avocado oil over it for an intense moisturizing session in your sleep. I suggest keeping it in the fridge so it will stay fresher longer. Keep in mind that while Restylane is indeed pure HA, it is STERILE and safe for injection.  HA from Amazon for fifteen bucks is NOT SAFE to inject.  Rub it on your skin and that is it... don't be dumb and end up with some gnarly infection rotting your face off because you thought you could get a fifteen dollar facelift.  

Have you used HA?  Please share your experience!  So far I am absolutely loving it.  It's non-greasy and light.  My skin feels moisturized but not oily and nasty.  Cheap and awesome... what's not to love?!

My apologies... I've been so busy working and blinging and researching that I have neglected blogging.  My bad.  Here are my reviews after about a month of using my new products. 


Korres Pomegranate Mattifying Primer
This primer is a rare breed.  It's free of silicones and parabens, but still manages to go on smoothly and creates a wonderful finish.  It helps to keep my foundation from settling into my laugh (and squint) lines.  It also prevents me from looking like a re-enactment of the Exxon-Valdez oil spill occurred on my forehead.  It's water based and has NO comedogenic ingredients.  It has a light, natural scent from the jojoba and pomegranate.  I don't feel like my face is suffocating like I do when I use other primers.  It's light and breathable but still gets the job done.  I absolutely recommend this product.  It can be purchased at Sephora for $33.  One tube looks like it's going to last me several months.


CoverFX Total Cover Cream Foundation
I am truly, truly in love with this foundation.  It comes in a compact and I apply it with a fluffy foundation brush right over my primer.  It's awesome.  It covers EVERYTHING.  I'm not used to my cheeks not being red and freckled, so it took some getting used to seeing myself without all of those.  I look slightly ghostly with just my foundation on.  It does not burn my skin and it has not induced any breakouts.  It wears well all day long.  I've gone for runs and it doesn't.  It stays put.  This product rocks.  I was just looking at the web-site, and I noticed that they have re-done the packaging and color system for this foundation since I bought mine in August.  The ingredients list has not changed at all.  My only minor, teeny tiny, nit-picky gripe about this foundation is that it does transfer a bit.  My phone always has some make-up on it.  It's not so bad that the collars of my shirt wear more than I do though.  Like I said.  Minor, nit-picky fuss, certainly not a deal breaker.  I highly recommend this foundation.  It can be purchased through the CoverFX website or at Sephora for $42.  A little goes a looonnnggg way, and I suspect that this one compact will last me at least 6 months.  If you purchase this foundation, watch the videos on the CoverFX website about how to apply it.


CoverFX Matte Setting Powder 
This powder is necessary to keep the foundation in place.  I just press some on with a fluffy foundation brush after I am through applying foundation.  It serves its purpose well, but I really have nothing to rave on about.  I see they just released a new Illuminating Setting Powder, and I will probably give it a whirl soon.  They also released a bronzer, which I must check out.  This is $32 for a big jar, and I'm pretty certain this one is going to last me half of my life.  I recommend this product to make the most out of the foundation.


Epicuren Facial Emulsion Enzyme Moisturizer
I was a little frustrated with my Vivite moisturizer since it was pretty expensive ($50/2oz) and I was running through a jar about every 4-6 weeks.  I also felt like it might be the culprit behind some tiny bumps all over my chin and jawline.  I got a moisture balance facial at the Four Seasons in Austin (ahhhmazing) and this Epicuren moisturizer was recommended to use under my make-up.  It doesn't have any comedogenic culprits in it, so I decided to give it a whirl.  I paid $42 for 4 oz, so I decided that this was much better.  It's a very light moisturizer, so if you have super dry skin, this product will not do much for you.  Sorry.  I do like it beneath my makeup and I don't feel like it has caused any bumps.  I appreciate the price point and the pump bottle, but I don't have much more to say.  If you have oily or combo skin, I would suggest this moisturizer.  Go to the Epicuren website and see where you can purchase it near you.

First things first... decide what you want and what matters most to you.  I've discovered that you really CANNOT have it all.  Do you want organic products, environmentally friendly products, or ones that won't break you out?  

Tree Hugger?  If organic is what you are looking for, I recommend a line of cosmetics called Juice.  They have selections available at Ulta.  To learn more about the line, visit http://www.juicebeauty.com.  Due to my allergies and sensitivities, it isn't practical for me to use something organic and filled with fruit and vegetable and nut oils.  My mom has pretty sensitive skin, but isn't as allergic as I am, and she is liking it.  Her only complaint is that she feels like it "moves" around on her skin.  It's choc full of natural oils so I'm sure it does migrate.  Like I said though... you can't have it all.

For me, I'm sick and tired of having the skin of a teenager.  My breakouts have been consistent for years.  Never awful, thank God, but consistently obnoxious.  My most recent makeup, BobbiBrown, didn't really seem to break me out, but I wasn't pleased with the texture and finish.  I felt like a greaseball by the end of the day.  Bare Minerals is not an option for me.  I'm intolerant of the bismuth that is in it.  It burns my skin like battery acid and it caused awful, painful cystic acne.  That's certainly a no go in my book.  I felt like everywhere I went and everyone I asked was only trying to sell me their most "exclusive" and "beneficial" products... which is basically code for most expensive!  So frustrating!  I decided to educate myself and seek out the perfect products for me...

I discovered that many products that claim to be non-comedogenic or dermatologist tested or hypoallergenic are full of CRAP!  Talk about disappointing.  I discovered a Comedogenicity Scale that ranks pore clogging ability of common products on a scale of 0-5.  Check your current products with the ones on the list provided at the pink link.   If you're not incredibly prone to acne, it may be ok if you have a couple of "3" ingredients far down on the list of your products.  

After countless hours and a ton of Googling, I found a line that I approve!  Cover FX.  It doesn't have any bad boys in it at all!  Awesome!  I've only been using it for two days so far and I'm already loving it!  It's buildable coverage is smooth and amazing.  I don't feel like I'm wearing any makeup.  I don't feel greasy and nasty at the end of the day.  I'm using the Cream Foundation in E10 and the Setting Powder in Light.  I'm experimenting with a few primer samples from Sephora before I make my final choice.  So far I've tried two from the Cover FX line.  The SkinPrep primer went on smoothly.  It didn't feel like I was wearing anything, but it finished nicely.  Not too shiny, and not too matte.  Today I used BritePrep.  It's supposed to be illuminating.  My mom complimented how my skin looked, which is always nice, but it felt a bit sticky.  Tomorrow I'm trying one from another line, Korres Pomegranate Mattifying Primer.  It's water based but sounds pretty promising.  The girl at Sephora swears by it, and it's cheaper than the CoverFX primers, so it must be awesome.  I'll get back to ya on that one though.  

Moisturizers are a big culprit too.  Personally, my dermatologist recommended Vivite Replenish Hydrating Cream.  I've been using it for about a year and a half and I really do love it.  It's very light, but effective.  I might try the night cream, just to have something heavier for nighttime repair.  It does have cetyl alcohol in it, which is listed as a "3", but it's the 5th ingredient down, and I don't feel like it breaks me out, so it must be ok.  

I also just bought new shampoo and conditioner.  They're free of SLS, Sodium Laureth Sulfate... which is a 5!  I haven't used these yet, but I will tomorrow, and I'll let you know how it goes!

This is a continuing work in progress for me.  Check back for updates!

Proper cleansing of your face is of the utmost importance.  I use Skinceuticals LHA Cleansing Gel, as recommended by my derm.  It is for oily/combo skin that is prone to acne, but is also great for aging skin.  (At 24, I'm not quite aging, but I'd like to get ahead of the game and prevent it as much as I can.)  This cleanser has lipo-hydroxy acid, salicylic acid, and glycolic acid.  These acids unclog and decongest pores to help prevent breakouts.  They also slough off dead skin to make the skin tone appear more even and fight whatever breakouts you might already have.  Pretty awesome.  I use it nightly to eat through my makeup grime.  It's slightly foamy and doesn't leave a residue.  This may seem like a splurge at $36, but a bottle will honestly last me about 9 months.  It's worth every penny.  I use my brush cleanser when using this product.

I don't know about you guys, but I find it very frustrating trying to find the right skin care products, routines, and make up.  I have multiple allergies, and sensitive, acne prone skin.  All of these things combined can create quite a conundrum when trying to keep my skin looking decent.  Throughout the years I have learned many things about my skin and skin care from my personal research, aestheticians, and my poor dermatologist.  

The first, and most important step, is getting to know your skin.  What is your skin type? Checking out this link can help you determine: http://www.womenshealthmag.com/beauty-and-style/skin-types  
For me... I'm combination and sensitive.  Now that you know your type, you just have to figure out what you need to do to make it look perfect.  Easy enough, right?  Ha!  Right now my skin looks better than it has in years, so I will share with you my products and routines, as well as what products are worth splurging on and what items you can pick up at Wal-Mart.  I can't promise daily updates, but I will surely try...

What's the YOLO diet you ask?   Exactly what it sounds like... a "diet" based on the YOLO concept.  You only live once, so (within reason) eat what you want.

95% of the time, follow these healthy, well balanced concepts:
1.  Enjoy LEAN meats.  Hormone and preservative free are best.  Sorry, but bacon doesn't really fit in here.
2. Veg out.  Literally.  Eat yourself silly as far as veggies are concerned.  The more colors you can incorporate into your diet, the better.  You really need at least 5 servings of varied veggies daily to meet minimal recommendations. 
3. Get fruity.  Enjoy your favorite fruits, especially if you're craving sweets.  I love having berries and/or cherries for dessert and apples for snacks.  Keep in mind that fruit contains sugar... albeit natural sugar, it's still high in calories and can drive up your blood glucose.  That being said, comparatively speaking, it's way better for your than "junk" food sweets, especially those with high fructose corn syrup (HFCS).  Fruit also contains many vitamins and minerals... can't go wrong there. A quick google search for the nutrition info of your favorites can let you know how many calories, how much sugar, and what nutrients they contain.
4. Gobble those grains!  WHOLE grains that is!  Rolled oats, whole wheat, brown rice, rye, barley, etc...  Low-glycemic, whole grains are packed with nutrients.  Carbs are part of a well-balanced diet, and they will help keep you happy (seriously)! Don't believe me?  Read my post about carbs and ketosis.
5. Avoid white pasta, white bread, and white rice.  These things are highly processed, high in calories, and very low in nutrients.  
6. Avoid fried foods.  They're literally soaked in fat.  Frying oils can contain upwards of 100 calories per teaspoon.  Wowee!  

So where does this YOLO business come into play?  Yes, it's important to be healthy, and yes, we all want that fit, hot bod, but I promise nobody lays on their death bed wishing they would have eaten more lettuce and ran more.  You lay there and wish you would have had that darn cupcake that looked so great!  We are given ONE shot at this crazy thing called life.  There are no do overs.  There are no take backs.  Take care of the body that you've been given... you can't trade it in for a newer, less abused model.  Don't deprive yourself of the things you love, and that make you happy.  Pick a couple of non-negotiables.  For me, one is snickerdoodle cookies from Tiff's Treats at work (they're delivered hot and fresh).  Whenever someone orders them for us, I'll eat ONE.  Yes, I could totally eat a half dozen, but I enjoy one.  I don't eat the bundt cakes or the donuts or other random pastries that come into our unit almost daily.  Cheesecake Factory cheesecake is another must on birthdays and anniversaries.  What's more indulgent?  About once a week, I'll enjoy a kid portion dessert.  A small sundae from Dairy Queen, a small gelati from Rita's, or maybe even a candy bar.  Enjoy your favorite meals, but limit them to about once a month.  I LOVE Italian food, and there's this authentic, family owned joint right around the corner.  Their tortellini is to die for.  If you ate it all the time, you literally would die from a heart attack.  When I do it, boy do I enjoy it.  When you indulge, take it slow.  First, appreciate the appearance of the food.  Then take a few deep breaths and inhale all the fabulous aromas.  Take the first bite and hold it in your mouth for a few seconds.  Taste all the flavors.  Eat slow and savor every bite.  

A "diet" without forbidden foods isn't setting you up for failure.  Success and change are made once choice at a time.  Keep a journal of how foods make you feel.  This can really alter what you eat.  For example, I LOVE the taste and texture of those fluffy, frosted sugar cookies from the grocery store, but every time I eat them, they make my blood sugar skyrocket and I get a miserable, pounding headache.  It's not worth it to me.  They have 180 calories and make me feel like crap for hours after 5 minutes of good flavors.  Don't beat yourself up for a "bad" decision.  For each "bad" decision you make, counterbalance it with at least 5 great ones.  No guilt here... after all YOLO!

Breakfast has always been the most difficult meal of the day for me.  I can't eat store bought cereals because a few hours later, I experience a severe sugar crash.  My blood sugar has been as low as the low 30's after eating cereal!  This makes you feel awful (foggy thoughts, shaky, clammy, nauseated), causes you to eat more, and is not healthy.  I don't have time to cook a big breakfast every morning, so that's out of the question.  I can't eat a lot of eggs since I'm allergic.  What's left you ask? OATS!

Whole grain, rolled oats are excellent for weight loss and health benefits.  They're full of fiber, so they'll not only keep you feeling fuller longer, but they digest slowly, which helps to keep your blood sugar stable.  They're full of phytonutrients, which are excellent for heart health, and have been proven to lower cholesterol levels by as much as 6 points in two months (when eaten daily).  I cannot come up with a better example of a HEALTHY, low-glycemic, whole grain carb.  

Oats are so very versatile too.  I prefer mine toasted.  Notice I said ROLLED oats?  Rolled oats are steamed, then flattened, leaving their bran (the healthiest part) intact.  They will cook in about 5 minutes.  Steel cut oats are chopped up, still contain the bran, but have this hard, chewy texture that is not preferred.  Quick oats have had the bran removed for quick cooking.  There goes your fiber...  A serving of raw rolled oats is 1/2 c.  They contain about 3 grams of fat (OMEGAS!), 0 sugar, 10 grams of protein, 7 grams of fiber, and about 40 HEALTHY carbs.  A serving of cooked oats is 1 c since they're all puffed up with water.  The nutrition info is relatively unchanged.

My favorite way to enjoy my oats is as a dry cereal/granola.  Store bought cereals and granola are packed with unnecessary sugars and fats, and are a health and diet trap.  Not my recipe!

Ingredients:
Organic Rolled Oats
Nuts (I used almonds and walnuts)
Honey
Vanilla
Stevia extract (I use stevia because I don't like my honey taste overbearing.)

Mix the ingredients together and bake them on a cookie sheet at 300 degrees until toasty brown.  Mix them around occasionally so they'll cook evenly.  Add the ingredients according to your taste and preference.  

You can mix with greek yogurt or fruit.  You can have it with milk.  You can eat it dry like I do.  Sometimes I enjoy it with just a tiny pinch of salt.  This morning, I added a few pieces of 70% cocoa dark chocolate for a treat and a change.  Sweet tooth satisfied (for now).  Enjoy!

So I touched a little bit on ketosis yesterday in my discussion on the Paleo diet, but while further researching various diets, I realized that many are based on achieving a state of ketosis.  That being said, I'll go a little more in depth so that you can see why it causes weight loss AND organ failure.

Typically, our body burns carbohydrates to fuel our metabolism, muscles, and brain.  When we don't take in adequate carbs, our body starts to break down our fat stores and use them for energy.  This is how weight is lost.  Our body self-digests its own fat.  Sounds pretty awesome, right?  Well, read on.  As we break down the fat stores, a so called byproduct is the acidic ketone.  These ketones travel through our bloodsteam and make our pH more acidic (bad news bears, but that's a whole different topic).  They also travel through your liver and kidneys and can cause permanent, irreversible damage of those organs.  When a state of ketosis is achieved, you become nauseated and have a decreased appetite, yet another reason it leads to weight loss.  You respiratory system will try to increase your pH back to normal by blowing off the excess acid.  You will develop fruity, foul breath.  Your renal system filters out the ketones and passes them in the urine.  This causes extra stress on the kidneys and can lead to severe, deadly renal failure.  Additional things a state of ketosis from a severely carb restricted diet can cause are: osteoporosis, liver failure, high cholesterol, kidney stones, and cancer.  

Notice the grumpy kitty?  A severely carb restricted diet can cause grumpiness, mood swings, and depression.  Carbs release L-tryptophan when digested.  The L-tryptophan then triggers the release of serotonin in the brain.  Serotonin is responsible for happiness and mood stability.  We only live this life once... I don't know about you, but I don't want to live it angry, sad, and on dialysis....

The Paleo diet is a way of eating that is extremely popular with those crazy Cross-Fitters.  No doubt these guys are capable of doing things my body never will, but are they getting too much of some and not enough of other nutrients?

The basics... 
The Paleo diet was invented by anthropologist (and carbophobic), Loren Cordain of Colorado State University.  The basis of the diet is that you want to eat like a caveperson (surely there were cave women too, not just cavemen).  If they couldn't hunt it or gather it, you can't eat it. 
1. Eat all the lean meat you want, as long as it's wild, free range, grass fed, and cage free.  Basically, if you hit a squirrel with your car, you should jump out and grab it, because it won't get any fresher than that!  This, I mostly agree with.  I think it's important to try our hardest to avoid additives and preservatives.  I love me some bacon, but it's a health trap with all those preservatives.  The same can be said for ham and its nitrites.  They've been directly linked to gastric and esophageal cancer.  It's no secret that they're no bueno.  The take home message from this rule is that lean meat is awesome, especially if it's free of hormones and preservatives.
2. Unlimited saturated fats.  Too much of a good thing isn't always a good thing.  Yes, we need our essential fatty acids and all our omegas, but fat is fat is FAT... eat too much of it and that's all you'll be.  Avocados and nuts are awesome foods, but more than a small serving and you're setting yourself up for trouble.  Be logical on this one...
3. No beans, corn, or potatoes...  apparently these came into our diet when farming began, and cave people weren't so fond of overalls and pitchforks, so they say.  Yes, these are all starchy veggies, but holy cow, they're nutritious too!  Beans are packed with proteins and a potato has more potassium in it than a banana!  These foods are mostly bad because of how we eat them.  Refried beans and french fries are not the same as plain beans and a dry baked potato.  Again... think about how you're fixing it and let's be logical.
4. NO grains.  No rice, wheat, oats, barley, etc... NONE.  I told you little miss Loren was a carbophobe.  Yes, you can get some carbs from unlimited fruits and veggies, but that's not the same as whole grains.  Minimally processed grains, like long grain brown rice, whole wheat products, and rolled oats are full of nutrients and are a great part of any diet IN MODERATION.  Without a sufficient amount of carbs in your diet, your body goes into ketosis.  This is a metabolic state in which the body cannot get energy from carbs, so it starts to break down muscles and fat.  This is how the Atkins diet produces such profound results in the first two weeks.  It sounds great until you learn what it does with your kidneys!  During ketosis your body is too acidic and it starts to pass these ketones through the kidneys and out in your urine.  If you have ketones in your urine, you can bet that your kidneys are getting really junked up.  This is a quick and crude explanation, but the reality of it is that some strict carbophobes have sent themselves into renal failure and ended up on dialysis forever.  But they're skinny!
5. No dairy products.  Come again?  How do we know the cavewomen weren't milking saber toothed tigers?  No milk, cheese, butter, ice cream, etc... You're supposed to get your calcium from leafy green veggies and the soft bones of small fish.  I'm not too keen on chomping Nemo bones, and my kidney issues knock out that whole leafy green veggies thing.  No spinach or kale for me.  It's true you can get your calcium from these sources, but you had better bring your appetite because you're going to have to eat a ton.  Low fat, minimally processed dairy products aren't from the devil.  They're great sources of calcium that is essential for bone health and muscle function.  Don't be a cheese freak... again... be logical.  

I don't think Paleo is all bad.  I completely agree with avoiding processed foods and preservatives.  Avoiding these things will reduce our risk for various cancers.  I don't believe in eliminating any food group entirely, nor allowing limitless amounts from any other.  That's my opinion backed with a little medical knowledge.  Since Paleo is a huge deal right now, I'm sure I'll catch a little flack for my blunt disagreement, but bring it on.  Please tell me if I'm missing something.  Afterall... I'm trying to become as healthy as possible, and like I said, I don't know everything.

Eating healthy is hard enough in general, but throw in a couple of additional health issues that limit your diet, and it's rough to say the least.  I have several allergies, both environmental and food.  The older I get, the worse my allergies seem to get as well.  I was first tested at the age of 20 when I was having daily migraines.  The cause was determined to be a peanut allergy and my favorite cereal was made with peanut flour...  I'm most allergic to peanuts.  They now cause my lip and tongue to swell, shortness of breath, and an immediate blinding headache.  It seems to me that my allergy to soy is growing worse.  I've been breaking out in hives and having that awful headache, like with peanuts.  I'm also allergic to turkey, and to some extent chicken, milk, and eggs.  These all cause tolerable GI issues at times, but I fear they too could grow more severe.  If my food allergies weren't enough to cause limitations in my diet, you have to factor in my kidney issues.  I'm very prone to oxalate kidney stones, and I would prefer to avoid these for the rest of my life.  I have to limit my intake of foods very high in oxalate.  Many of these are very healthy and nutrient rich.  I can never again eat spinach or okra.  I have to severely limit the amount of sweet potatoes, most nuts, and many other fruits and veggies.  I really shouldn't drink black tea, and must make certain that I drink a ton of water if I drink any coffee or eat chocolate.  

I'm tired of feeling crummy because I eat things I shouldn't or because I'm too lazy to plan ahead a good, healthy meal.  I started researching diets, and I've discovered that there is no "perfect" diet.  The popular diets now all limit certain food groups that are essential for nutrition.  Over time, I'm going to share the knowledge I gain in researching these diets.  Some will be factual info, and some will be my opinion.  My opinion is backed with medical knowledge, but I am not a trained dietician.  I might end up going to see one though... who knows.  I know it will be a journey to a well-balanced and healthy way of life, but I invite you take this journey with me...